Ephesus, Its Believers' Characteristics

The Loveless Church

For those of you who fully love the Lord Jesus and embrace His Word, my question is this: Do you remember the following statement from our Lord and King? And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Note that He stated "the love of many will grow cold". We are there! He stated that is because of the overwhelming lawlessness in this world. Look around and see if you don't agree! But Jesus also said this: For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. All of this is just the beginning of sorrows. In other words, there is more to come, so stand strong Kingdom citizens and do not be surprised.

This is what Lord Jesus stated to the angel of the church of Ephesus: “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

Ephesus was the most important city in Asia Minor when Revelation was written. It was the center of the worship of Artemis or Diana. "Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” Think of it as a place like New York City and all of its perversions. It was known for the goddess of fertility. It was a strategic commercial center and a great seaport, just like New York City and Wall Street are known for the stock exchange. To give you some insight concerning the Nicolatians, the Nicolatians were a sect of heretics of the Apostolic period. They held it lawful to eat food to sacrifice to idols, to join in idolatrous worship and behavior, and the belief that the Lord God didn't create the universe. They considered their women as common (belonging equally to, or shared by, everyone). They were considered to be below ordinary; inferior, not refined, vulgar, low morals, coarse. Does that remind you of this world today in some areas?

​Knowing that we are the citizens of the Kingdom, we have to be very careful of whom we associate. We must stay focused on the Word of the living God. The Nicolatians were a heretical sect with the "organized church" at Ephesus. They had worked out a compromise with the pagan society. They apparently taught that spiritual liberty gave them sufficient leeway to practice idolatry and immorality. That is why it is so important that we be filled with the Holy Spirit and nothing less.

When you are in line with the Word of God and embracing Jesus as Lord and Savior, here is the result: And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. The ambassador Paul, before he became the ambassador for the Kingdom, had to embrace King Jesus as Lord. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” From that point on, Saul the persecutor became destined to become ambassador Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit. And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

By the way, the Holy Spirit is intelligent. He doesn't take your free will and control and make you act like some crazy person.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”